Jobless claims drop for third straight week as shutdown impact ends

Jim Puzzanghera

WASHINGTON -- Initial jobless claims fell for the third straight week as furloughed federal employees returned to work and the effects of the government shutdown abated, the Labor Department said Thursday.

There were 340,000 people who filed for first-time unemployment benefits last week, a drop of 10,000 from the previous week. Economists had projected the number would drop to 335,000.

The figure was down significantly from 373,000 claims in the week that ended Oct. 5, the highest level since January. The spike was caused by the furlough of about 800,000 federal workers on Oct. 1 after Congress and the White House failed to agree on a spending bill after the fiscal year ended.